Generally, a thermoelectric module is used in a thermoelectric generation system having a seebeck effect generating electromotive force using a temperature difference between of both surfaces thereof. When thermoelectric generation is performed by the thermoelectric module, an amount of output of thermoelectric generation may be increased by maintaining a significant difference in temperature between a high temperature component and a low temperature component. For example, a heat transfer coefficient of heat transmitted from a heat source to the thermoelectric module significantly impacts the amount of output of the thermoelectric generation.
Further, a related thermoelectric module has a flat structure, and when a surface of a heat source on which the thermoelectric module is mounted is not flat (e.g., curved or uneven), a heat spreader or a thermal paste is applied to the uneven surface. In particular, the spreader or the thermal paste is applied to the heat source to make the surface flat and the thermoelectric module is subsequently attached thereto. However, the thermal resistance is increased due to the heat spreader or the thermal paste to lower a temperature of the high temperature component of the thermoelectric module. In particular, a temperature difference in the thermoelectric module is reduced, and the amount of output of thermoelectric generation is substantially reduced.
In an effort to overcome such shortcomings, the thermoelectric module having a structure in which an N type element, a P type element, an insulating plate, and an electrode of the thermoelectric module are formed to correspond to the uneven surface of the heat source component may be applied. However manufacturing a thermoelectric module may prove difficult and manufacturing cost thereof may increase.